[Footnote 216.2: [From Fenn, iv. 246.] As this letter was written
after Edward IV.’s marriage, and before the death of John Paston
the father, the date must be either 1465 or 1466. Fenn assigns it
to the latter year, and I think he is right, though he does not
state his reasons. I find that John, Lord Lovel, died on the 9th
January 1465, leaving his son and heir, Francis, only nine years
old, so that even if we date this letter 1466, the young lad was
married at the early age of ten. This was probably owing to his
wardship having been obtained by Lord Fitzhugh, or some person
interested; but as the inquisition on his father’s death (_Inq.
p. m._, 4 Edw. IV., No. 27) was not taken till October 1465, there
seems no ground for believing that he could have been forced into
wedlock a month after he was left an orphan.]
[Footnote 217.1: Thomas Fitz Alan, Lord Maltravers, eldest son of
William Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel, married Margaret, second
daughter of Richard Widville, Earl Rivers, and sister to
Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. He succeeded his father as Earl of
Arundel in 1487, 3 Hen. VII., and died in 1524, 16 Hen. VIII.--F.]
[Footnote 217.2: Francis Lovel, son and heir to John, Lord Lovel,
married Anne, daughter of Henry, Lord Fitz Hugh. It is curious
that she is here called ‘Lady Fitz Hugh’s daughter,’ when her
father was alive.]
[[be thys letter delyveryd _text has “delyverya” (italic a for d)_]]
627